MainIndustryGoogle Home's assistant can now recognize different voices

Google Home's assistant can now recognize different voices

22 April, 2017

Starting today, yourGoogle Home speaker can be made to remember six different users, and differentiate them by voice alone. Each time you will utter a phrase, the neuronal network will compare the sounds you produce to the previous analysis, to decide whether it's you who is addressing it or your child or partner. Apparently this takes place on yourdevice in only a matter of milliseconds.

The update is rolling out to all U.S. Google Home users and will expand to the United Kingdom, where Google Home only recently launched, in the coming months. By the time Google Home launches here, we should hopefully have quite the complete home assistant. Rumors that Alexa was going to implement voice recognition have been swirling for some time, but it appears that Google beat them to it this time around. Setting up recognized users requires that people log into the speakers using Google's Home app for iOS and Android.

The news of Google Home being able to support multiple accounts should not come as a surprise to close followers of the intelligent assistant. While Home can still give everyone general information and trivia via the Knowledge Graph (and more erratic "featured snippets"), it can only create appointments and do other user-specific stuff for one designated Google account. Then, look for a card that says "multi-user is available" and if you can't find it, click the icon in the upper right to locate your connected devices, and make sure to link your account. There's also a short "training" process that requires each person to say "Ok Google" or "Hey Google" twice.

Google says Home will be able to answer personal questions for topics like your schedule, shopping lists, news and podcasts, photos, information about your commute, your calendar and Uber account. From there, you'll teach the Google Assistant to recognize your voice by repeating short phrases like, "OK Google", and "Hey, Google".

The move will help differentiate Google Home from Amazon's Echo, which can't do the same thing yet.

COMMENTS

Recent Posts

Truck Drags a Car It Accidentally HookedApr 22, 2017
Other drivers got in front of the truck to force it to stop, but the truck continued on for at least four miles. The California Highway Patrol confirmed the incident, but the agency was unaware of any video posted online.

Alex Jones Admits "Performance Art" in LawsuitApr 18, 2017
His father has called the boy "a good little knight who's going to grow up, I know, to be a great fighter against the enemy". Their 14-year-old son and 12- and 9-year-old daughters have lived with Alex Jones since they divorced in 2015 .

Angelina Jolie Buys Historic Hollywood EstateApr 18, 2017
In addition to a pool house, gym, and studio, the property boasts fountains, rose gardens, rolling lawns, and a library. As reported by aceshowbiz.com, the Changeling actress is done making movies and wants to focus on her six children now.

Tomorrow is the deadline to file taxesApr 18, 2017
If you need extra time to gather information, such as a missing 1099 for nonemployee compensation you earned previous year . A recent TaxSlayer survey found numerous surprising things that Americans find easier to do than filing their taxes.

Showers, thunderstorms in the forecast this weekendApr 17, 2017
Early Sunday morning the showers and clouds move away (clouds may linger longer in the Upper Valley and North Country). Chances for rain showers increase after noon Saturday and into Saturday evening as a warm front lifts north.

Mark Hamill: Carrie Fisher Star Wars tribute is 'therapy'Apr 16, 2017
Ford played the charismatic scoundrel-turned-hero Han Solo who was killed in the December 2015 sequel The Force Awakens. In one shot, she can be seen receiving direction from Rian Johnson, with several members of the crew busy behind them.

Saturn moon has necessary conditions to harbor lifeApr 16, 2017
NASA is now planning to send the Europa Clipper mission , which will orbit around Jupiter and fly at least 40 times near Europa . The new research suggests that Saturn's this moon has a chemical energy source capable of supporting life.

Is Bannon in peril? Trump comments worry his populist baseApr 16, 2017
One long-time friend of Trump's said he had never seen Trump criticize an employee publicly like he did Bannon this week. Yet Manafort, Flynn and Page have indeed become political liabilities for Trump that he can't shake in the White House.

Second case of measles confirmed in MI in 2017Apr 16, 2017
The vaccination, or documentation of immunity to measles, is recommended for all persons travelling internationally, Wells said. Successfully controlling it and preventing outbreaks requires high levels of immunity in all communities, officials noted.

Fired officers had previously arrested same manApr 15, 2017
A Georgia police department fired a second officer after footage surfaced Thursday showing him punching a suspect in the face. McDonald had been placed on administrative leave earlier this week, resulting in his firearm being confiscated, police said.